Leading Worship...It's Not Scary...

Earlier this month our ALT group hosted an Advent by Candlelight worship and fellowship gathering. It was wonderful to see how much the Toledo community supports us and our mission.

It was during this event that I was asked to lead worship for the first time...alone...just me...I probably had that deer in the headlights look on my face. Granted I knew I wouldn't truly be alone. I would have the amazing band to assist me with the hymns and the loving congregation to help me if I forgot something. However all the information I knew escaped from my brain and was replaced with sounds of panic.

Looking back on that moment, there was a small part of me that was really excited, but didn't know how to show it. I do not know many people my age who have truly led a worship service without other adults freaking out the whole time. Worrying about misbehavior, something not being done the 'right way' or by golly forgetting something!  I could keep going, but I think I'll save my thoughts on young people leading worship for another post.

The service I was leading was the first Sunday of Christmas.

From my experience, the Sunday after Christmas is typically some rendition of a 'Lessons and Carols' service. The traditional service is a celebration of Jesus' birth beginning with readings Genesis and ending with the Gospel of John. Interspersed among the texts are hymns that aid the telling of the story. Every year public radio broadcasts King's College Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols live on Christmas Eve. However, in the States, this church service can easily turn into a hymn sing; a massively condensed service so the people can return home.

The service I was leading was neither of these; it was unique and spoke to the needs of those who came. Our focus for our time together in community can be summed up in this phrase, the light breaking into the darkness. This was shown through the songs sung, lessons read, and prayers spoken.

As I welcomed everyone to worship, my nerves were disappearing. The Hallelujah chorus was playing in my head! I was thinking thank you Jesus because I was standing in front of people speaking and nothing was shaking. Then came the opening prayer... 

We gathered together to hold hands and I was figuring out how to hold my bulletin in order to read it. Just as I took the hand of my neighbor, taking a breath to begin, my hand decides there is an earthquake. I am reading the prayer and my eyes are fixated on this out of control hand shaking. At some point though, the shaking stopped and never came back for the rest of the service.

Once the shakes were discontinued I was able to fully enjoy the worship service myself. I even preached without hiding behind a podium/lectern!

After the service, people came up to me saying how well I did and that they wanted me to come back soon. However, there is one comment that I will always treasure..."I could see and hear the Spirit working through you. It was just radiating."

While I may be the physical being preaching and conducting the service, it is not really me who is doing the work. It is the Spirit who gives me the words to speak. I feel blessed to have these opportunities to preach and lead service. I am thankful to be able to live out my vocation.

For a long time I thought that leading a worship service...by myself...would be a very scary thing. Now that I have actually led a service, I know that it's not that scary...maybe just a tiny bit ;)

The Little Drummer Boy - Sermon Dec. 27

1st Sunday of Christmas
Lessons: John 1:1-14
               Isaiah 9:1-7
               John 3:16-21

Growing up, one tradition my family had was watching all the holiday Christmas specials on TV. In fact it's something we still do. You are never too old to watch Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. However, there is on Christmas movie that is not played on TV which our family really enjoys, The Little Drummer Boy.

The movie is based on the beloved song with the same name. Its focus is on Aaron the drummer boy. He loves to play for his friends Samson - a donkey, Baabaa - a sheep, and Joshua - a camel. However, Aaron hates all people.

There was a time when Aaron was happy. The drum was a gift from his parents on his birthday. They loved each other very much. Then one night bandits came and while stealing the sheep, killed Aaron's parents and burned the house to the ground. This one act caused him to hate all of humanity.

Along the way a desert performer sees the animals dancing to Aaron's drum playing. Out of greed, the performer captures Aaron and his friends. Thus forcing them to entertain the people. After Aaron's first performance, he lashes out at the crowd. He despised their enjoyment and blamed them for his parents death. This causes the group to retreat to the desert.

While setting up camp for the night, the performer saw a caravan of Kings. These were the Three Wise Men who were following the star to worship the new born king.

Even though all are under the same sky, not everyone notices the beauty of this one star in the night sky with the message it holds. The performer is too blinded by his want for money and wealth to notice the star. He is focused on performing for the Kings and the money he knows he will receive. Aaron is too blinded by hatred to notice the star and the hope it brings. He is looking forward to never being around people ever again after this performance.

The desert performer attempts to put on a performance for the Wise Men, but they are uninterested since they are trying to reach the stars destination.

During this exchange, one of the caravan camels becomes too weak to travel. The desert performer takes this opportunity to bargain with them. They can have Joshua in exchange for gold. Once this bargain is struck, the Wise Men continue on their journey following the star.

Aaron is angry that Joshua was exchanged to the Kings without any regard for his feelings. He wants his friend back. Because of this Aaron, Samson and Baabaa decide to go find their friend. They do this by following the same star as the Wise Men.

Once they reach Bethlehem the group immediately finds their friend. As they are reuniting, in what should be a joyous occasion, Baabaa is hit by a chariot. Knowing that the Kings are wise, Aaron takes the badly injured sheep to the Wise Men for healing.

When Aaron approaches on of the Wise Men, he asks if they could please help his sheep. The man says he cannot for he is only a mortal, but there is another, a king among kings who could save him. The Wise man was speaking of baby Jesus who was lying in the manger. Aaron was confused as to how a little baby could possibly help. That is when the Wise Man tells him, "It is not necessary that you understand...Go! Look upon the new born King."

Aaron then slowly walks up to the manger. Not knowing what to give the little King, he decides to play his drum.

After he finished, as he stood looking at baby Jesus, he thought it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

As he walks away from the manger, Aaron tells the Wise Man, "There is something more about him, so much more." The Wise Man responds, "Your gift little drummer boy, given out of your desperation of a pure love is the one favored above all."

At that moment Baabaa is healed and runs into Aaron's arms. In that instant he felt pure joy for the first time since the death of his parents.

Aaron knew at last that the hatred he had carried was wrong.

As the movie reaches its conclusion, the camera pans up to the star of Bethlehem. The narrator concludes by saying, "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God!"

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

This is the greatest and purest gift given to all humanity. All of creation celebrates the life and light of Christ.

God comes to us once again today. Christs light breaks through the chaos and darkness of our time. Christs light shines even in the midst of refugees fleeing from oppression and war. Christs light shines in each of us. Beckoning us to be the light in the darkness. Amen.